Looking Into the Skies
Nowadays many people believe that the Soviet Union was the first in the field of space exploration. However, only few know that USSR also had great achievements in another close field – astronomy. During a long time the world’s biggest telescope called The Big Azimuth Telescope or the BAT was located in this country. Moreover, it was constructed exclusively using Soviet technologies and developments, which demonstrated the country’s leadership in the field of optical instruments.
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The Plasma Radio
This video of so called “plasma radio” is popular lately on Russian blogs. The shown effect is very cool. Here is a short story to understand it:
Location: Brovary town, Russia.
Transmitter output: 150 kW
Also used: old Soviet antennas, 90 meteres (280 ft) long cable.
That’s all what you need for UNSAFE experiments to receive radio waves.
In the area of the effect of radio waves very big potential difference emerges. Because of the modulation of the radio signal the electical spark arc starts vibrating with the human voice and begins to “speak”.
The intensity of current in such “radio” can reach hundreds of ampers and it easily can molt metals.
Such electricity doesn’t have any barriers, it can come through the thick tree.
Don’t try this at home!
Shed House
One might think this houses in Smolensk city, Russia are preparing for their summer skin shedding, and become more brown.
In reality that’s how the local house maintainers are making houses coldproof. They just put raw PU foam on the walls, around the flats and with some time the fawn-coloured foam starts looking like this brownish substance.
At the Nuclear Power Plant
One Russian blogger has paid a visit to the modern Russian nuclear plant. Normally it is forbidden to take photos there, but they have made an exception for him. So now we have a rare chance to see what’s inside of the Russian most modern power plant.
This power plant is situated near Smolensk city. Its power generation potential is 3 Megawatt and it was build for 8 years, from 1982 to 1990. There were planned to be four nuclear reactors, but because of the panic after the Chernobyl accident the forth block has not been completed, so there are three of them for now.
Let’s go inside.
Russian Wooden Gadgets
These days when people going to be more green such devices gain popularity. Russian author of wooden mice writes: “Wood, as the cover material for everyday appliances is almost not used nowadays. Plastics are cheaper, easier to produce, faster - they suit well for mass production. Real wood is still can be found from exclusive furniture producers (regular furniture is made from plywood or laminated sheets). Saw wood industry is also mainly oriented for the construction works, thus the wooden material is available on market is of worse quality. Technologies of producing beautiful things from wood suffered greatly. They are almost, not almost, just forgotten. Just some time ago people could make from wood the things that look like a miracle for a modern person. For example those Russian wooden clocks of the 19th century:”
Such Russian clocks were produced by the Bronnikov family from Russia. For three generations they mastered their skills on crafting light-weight fully functional wooden pocket clocks. Such gadgets were true hit back then, among their customers there were Russian Tzars and other high society members. They were sending their samples to the international exhibitions of Paris and New York to make foreign people awe. The price of such wooden clocks exceeded of those of gold. Not many of those survived Russian revolution and communist reign. Those who did are a rare guest of antique shops priced at around $20,000 for each.
Russian Guide for Tag Removals
In Russia they sometimes publish some things in blogs that might be considered unethical to publish in some places. For examples this is a guide for removal a magnetic security tag you can meet in dress stores. Person who published this says it’s just for fun, or for using in actual store or just to use if you got the item and they forgot to remove the tag in the store so you can do it by yourself. It’s kind of his disclaimer.
So if to get back to the guide all one would need is (more…)
Russian Wireless Phone from 1958
This is and excerpt from the article of Russian newspaper back from 1958. It tells that:
“Young Soviet engineer has assembled a wireless phone that can be connected to the city phone line via ‘electro-magnetic’ waves. The new model of his phone has a size not more than two cigarette boxes and weights 500g (together with the battery), thanks to this the device can be widely used not only for organizations but also for the personal use. Using this pocket radio phone anyone can call landline number from wherever he is and also he can be called by any landline user.”
It sounds bit naive these days, but if back in 1958 it could be really innovative and advanced, especially for a Soviet Russian citizen who was not got used to a gadget abundance.
Russian authorities didn’t let this happen, the device was not in mass production, and was not available for general public, probably for security and censorship reasons states had in mind, so Russian people had a chance to get the personal mobile phone only after Soviet Union collapsed - just 20 years ago first cell phones and other modification of mobile devices appeared on sale in Russia.
On photo there is that “Young Soviet engineer together with his phone”.
Wooden Cell Phone Charger
We’ve mentioned these wooden cell phones made in Russia before, but now there is a charger that could fit it well by design, it’s below:
Russian Ionospheric Link
Before the satelite communication was implemented Russian military bases located at the low-populated places such as shores of Arctic Ocean or frozen Siberian forests had to communicate somehow. It was practically impossible to connect them with wire because required too much effort, and was not secure at all - just a small cut off of the line would cause days of searching for it at -40 weather.
So Russian army has implemented the network of stations that fired their messages to ionosphere then the message was reflected from it and returned to the Earth surface - right to another station. By connecting those stations in relay chain they could communicate through all 10000 mile wide Russian land instantly.
After the sat connections came into play some of the stations were discontinued some were converted to satelite link.
Below you can see the map of this system, and the basic stations. People were sent there to serve their military service for two years guided by full time military commanders. Some still remember those times with a nice nostalgic feeling, some don’t - just imagine to live in the middle of the nowhere for couple of years with the only task to service some strange looking antenna.
Lemon Charge
One lemon is small but a few can charge your ipod decently.
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